Meagan Simonaire, the former state delegate from Anne Arundel County who electrified her colleagues last year by coming out as bisexual on the House floor during a debate on a bill banning conversion therapy, has been named one of the 20 most eligible LGBT singles in the latest edition of The Washington Blade, the weekly gay newspaper.
Elected as a Republican in 2014 at age 24, Simonaire, the daughter of state Sen. Bryan Simonaire (R-Anne Arundel), told her colleagues that her parents had suggested she enroll in conversion therapy after she came out to them in 2015. Her dramatic revelation is credited with helping the bill pass last year.
Now working as a tattoo artist, Simonaire opted against seeking reelection in 2018, and changed her registration to Democratic last fall.
The Blade’s breezy “20 most eligible” article features a photo and Q&A with each designee. It includes this information:
“Biggest turn-off: Jealousy, insecurity and possessiveness.
Biggest turn-on: Confidence. Someone who is living their best life independently.
Hobbies: Is wine a hobby? Also, travel, dance, cooking, art and pretending I’m a comedian.”
But perhaps most revealing, when asked if she would date someone with opposing political views, Simonaire replied, “Absolutely not. My experience as an elected official allowed me to see first hand how impactful political views are.”
Josh Kurtz
Founding editor
Founding Editor Josh Kurtz is a veteran chronicler of Maryland politics and government. He began covering the State House in 1995 for The Gazette newspapers, and has been writing about state and local politics ever since. He was an editor at Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper, for eight years, and for eight years was the editor of E&E Daily, which covers energy and environmental policy on Capitol Hill. For 6 1/2 years Kurtz wrote a weekly column on state politics for Center Maryland and has written for several other Maryland publications as well. Kurtz regularly gives speeches and appears on TV and radio shows to discuss Maryland politics.
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